Pentagon reduces furlough days from 11 to six

Published: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 03:09 PM.

Civilian workers at local military bases who have been required to take unpaid days off work should see some relief in the coming weeks.

The Pentagon announced Tuesday that it has cut the number of furlough days for civilian employees from 11 to six.

“I’d say this is better news,” said Thadeaus Wallace, president of the union that represents thousands of blue collar workers at local bases. “Our concern is that we still have employees that are taking the hit for this, and it is hampering our mission and our community.”

For the last month, more than 5,300 civilian employees at Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base have been subjected to furloughs. Most have taken off one day a week and were scheduled to do so through the end of the fiscal year in September.

The original furlough would have resulted in a pay cut of about 20 percent over three months. The reduction will lower that to about 9 percent, said Rocky Tasse, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1942, which represents workers whose jobs require a college degree.

The shorter furlough period also means that most employees will complete their furloughs by mid-August instead of the end of September.

Notices for the original 11 days of furlough were released in June. At the time, Department of Defense officials said furloughing more than 650,000 civilian workers could save about $1.8 billion.

The DoD had been asked to cut $37 billion from its budget as part of sequestration.

During the past few months, the different military branches, the Pentagon and Congress have been able to find ways to save additional money so the furlough period could be reduced. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had said that was a goal from the beginning.

“While we are still depending on furlough savings, we will be able to make up our budgetary shortfall in this fiscal year with fewer furlough days than initially announced,” he said in a statement released Tuesday.

He attributes the additional savings to Congress allowing for funds to be shifted from acquisition accounts to day-to-day operations, less than expected costs in some areas such as transportation of equipment out of Afghanistan and further transfers of funds among services and agencies.

Local base officials said the announcement is good news.

“The announcement today that furloughs have been reduced to six days is surely a sign of relief for our Hurlburt civilian employees,” said Col. William West, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt, where about 1,600 civilians are employed. “They have been extremely patient and dedicated during these difficult times.”

The exact manner in which the reduction will be carried out has not yet been ordered, local base officials said.

“We look forward to further guidance from the Air Force on the details of implementation,” said Col. Monte Cannon, vice commander of the 96th Test Wing at Eglin, where about 3,700 civilians work.

The immediate effects of Furloughs at Eglin included shutting down gate accesses to the base. Commissaries at Eglin and Hurlburt also have been closing one additional day a week.

Local union representatives questioned why the furlough was needed at all.

“Our stance right now is one day is too much,” said Wallace, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1897. “If you didn’t need to do 22, you probably don’t need to do six. Our mission requires us all to be here, and that’s why we’re here. We’re here to work.”

He said his union has been asking employees to appeal of their furloughs in the hope that their days could be refunded.

The financial and emotional stress has been hard on the workers, he said.

“We’re really trying to encourage employees to look out for each other and watch out for their co-workers because people are struggling in these tough times.” he said.

The Defense Department could be required to cut an additional $52 billion from its budget in fiscal 2014, which begins Oct. 1. It is unclear whether furloughs could be required again next year.

Hagel said he will do everything possible to avoid that, and expressed appreciation to the civilian employees.

“I want to thank our civilian workers for their patience and dedication during these extraordinarily tough times, and for their continued service and devotion to our department and our country,” he said in the statement. “I know how difficult this has been for all of you and your families … I look forward to one day putting this difficult period behind us.”

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Civilian workers at local military bases who have been required to take unpaid days off work should see some relief in the coming weeks.

The Pentagon announced Tuesday that it has cut the number of furlough days for civilian employees from 11 to six.

“I’d say this is better news,” said Thadeaus Wallace, president of the union that represents thousands of blue collar workers at local bases. “Our concern is that we still have employees that are taking the hit for this, and it is hampering our mission and our community.”

For the last month, more than 5,300 civilian employees at Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base have been subjected to furloughs. Most have taken off one day a week and were scheduled to do so through the end of the fiscal year in September.

The original furlough would have resulted in a pay cut of about 20 percent over three months. The reduction will lower that to about 9 percent, said Rocky Tasse, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1942, which represents workers whose jobs require a college degree.

The shorter furlough period also means that most employees will complete their furloughs by mid-August instead of the end of September.

Notices for the original 11 days of furlough were released in June. At the time, Department of Defense officials said furloughing more than 650,000 civilian workers could save about $1.8 billion.

The DoD had been asked to cut $37 billion from its budget as part of sequestration.

During the past few months, the different military branches, the Pentagon and Congress have been able to find ways to save additional money so the furlough period could be reduced. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had said that was a goal from the beginning.

“While we are still depending on furlough savings, we will be able to make up our budgetary shortfall in this fiscal year with fewer furlough days than initially announced,” he said in a statement released Tuesday.

He attributes the additional savings to Congress allowing for funds to be shifted from acquisition accounts to day-to-day operations, less than expected costs in some areas such as transportation of equipment out of Afghanistan and further transfers of funds among services and agencies.

Local base officials said the announcement is good news.

“The announcement today that furloughs have been reduced to six days is surely a sign of relief for our Hurlburt civilian employees,” said Col. William West, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt, where about 1,600 civilians are employed. “They have been extremely patient and dedicated during these difficult times.”

The exact manner in which the reduction will be carried out has not yet been ordered, local base officials said.

“We look forward to further guidance from the Air Force on the details of implementation,” said Col. Monte Cannon, vice commander of the 96th Test Wing at Eglin, where about 3,700 civilians work.

The immediate effects of Furloughs at Eglin included shutting down gate accesses to the base. Commissaries at Eglin and Hurlburt also have been closing one additional day a week.

Local union representatives questioned why the furlough was needed at all.

“Our stance right now is one day is too much,” said Wallace, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1897. “If you didn’t need to do 22, you probably don’t need to do six. Our mission requires us all to be here, and that’s why we’re here. We’re here to work.”

He said his union has been asking employees to appeal of their furloughs in the hope that their days could be refunded.

The financial and emotional stress has been hard on the workers, he said.

“We’re really trying to encourage employees to look out for each other and watch out for their co-workers because people are struggling in these tough times.” he said.

The Defense Department could be required to cut an additional $52 billion from its budget in fiscal 2014, which begins Oct. 1. It is unclear whether furloughs could be required again next year.

Hagel said he will do everything possible to avoid that, and expressed appreciation to the civilian employees.

“I want to thank our civilian workers for their patience and dedication during these extraordinarily tough times, and for their continued service and devotion to our department and our country,” he said in the statement. “I know how difficult this has been for all of you and your families … I look forward to one day putting this difficult period behind us.”